Cooks the Books 2019 Chefs from Assiniboine Community College
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Student Chefs: Sarah Buchanan and Beth Butterfield
As Manitoba Institute of Culinary Arts students, we are excited to bring forward in this prestigious competition an entirely Manitoba focused menu. We purposefully gathered ingredients from the neighbouring prairie fields, watersheds and our college’s own organic garden and orchards that have been tilled for over a century. Our stunning campus also does pioneering agricultural research that may one day end world hunger. By showcasing our province’s world class delicacies, we are able to reduce carbon footprint and prepare honest multicultural cuisine that is more than very nutritious, it is artistic in sensually compelling colours, flavours, aromas and textures.
Photo Credit: Robyn S. Russell Photography
Classic Frenched Duck Leg Confit
The term “confit” originates from France and it means to preserve. The French used to preserve meats by covering them in fat which protects the meat against air and bacteria that can cause spoilage. We have decided to bring a classic technique to the menu while adding more modern methods of cooking such as through sous vide.
Skillet Seared Dry-Aged Muscovy Duck Breast - Duck is a very delicate and underappreciated dish that should be prepared more often. To showcase how amazing this ingredient this is, we dry aged for 4 days the breast of a Muscovy duck from our neighboring Hutterite farmers, then seared it till the skin was mahogany crisp, intensifying the flavour with perfect doneness to the meat that will leave you wanting more!
Manitoba Red Lentil, Naked Oat and Wild Rice Pilaf - This dish has a wonderfully earthy appeal along with tons of nutritional value. The naked oats not only have a high protein content, they are also eco-friendly because as they grow they give back to the environment by shedding their outer layer into the soil, which then requires very little to no processing. This high protein and light pilaf will fulfill your palette and bring you to realize that legumes and grains can be easily prepared and create a delicious dish.
Heritage Garden Strawberry Agrodolce - Strawberries are a common fruit that is used for a variety of different purposes so we took advantage of the berries grown in our own heritage garden and turned it into a very sweet but sour sauce for the duck. This Strawberry Agrodolce pairs perfectly with the rich duck leg, and it is also very wine friendly- Think chilled cold climate Pinot Noir!
Twice Cooked Butternut Squash Puree with Orchard Crab Apple Jelly - At Manitoba Institute of Culinary Arts we are fortunate enough to have our very own heritage garden that has been around for over 100 years. To embrace our harvest we used the butternut squash right from the garden and paired it with our crab apple jelly that we made from the apples in our orchard. This puree is a beautiful blend of Manitoba ingredients that are the celebration of autumn.
Skillet Seared Dry-Aged Muscovy Duck Breast - Duck is a very delicate and underappreciated dish that should be prepared more often. To showcase how amazing this ingredient this is, we dry aged for 4 days the breast of a Muscovy duck from our neighboring Hutterite farmers, then seared it till the skin was mahogany crisp, intensifying the flavour with perfect doneness to the meat that will leave you wanting more!
Manitoba Red Lentil, Naked Oat and Wild Rice Pilaf - This dish has a wonderfully earthy appeal along with tons of nutritional value. The naked oats not only have a high protein content, they are also eco-friendly because as they grow they give back to the environment by shedding their outer layer into the soil, which then requires very little to no processing. This high protein and light pilaf will fulfill your palette and bring you to realize that legumes and grains can be easily prepared and create a delicious dish.
Heritage Garden Strawberry Agrodolce - Strawberries are a common fruit that is used for a variety of different purposes so we took advantage of the berries grown in our own heritage garden and turned it into a very sweet but sour sauce for the duck. This Strawberry Agrodolce pairs perfectly with the rich duck leg, and it is also very wine friendly- Think chilled cold climate Pinot Noir!
Twice Cooked Butternut Squash Puree with Orchard Crab Apple Jelly - At Manitoba Institute of Culinary Arts we are fortunate enough to have our very own heritage garden that has been around for over 100 years. To embrace our harvest we used the butternut squash right from the garden and paired it with our crab apple jelly that we made from the apples in our orchard. This puree is a beautiful blend of Manitoba ingredients that are the celebration of autumn.
Ingredients
Duck Brine (Yields 2L)
- Duck Legs Frenched
- 6 cups (1.5 L) Water
- 1 cup (250 mL) Brown sugar
- 300 g (10.5 oz) Kosher salt
- 4 cloves Garlic whole
- 10 sprigs of Thyme
Sous Vide Duck (per 2 legs)
- 1 clove of Garlic
- 1 sprig of thyme
- 10 ml Duck Fat
- 20 ml Canola Oil
- Black Pepper as to your liking
Finished Duck Leg
- Duck Legs
- Maldon Salt
- Canola Oil
Skillet Seared Dry-Aged Muscovy Duck Breast
- 2 Duck Breasts
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Carrot Cake Jam pre-prepared or bought in store
Manitoba Red Lentil, Naked Oat and Wild Rice Pilaf
- 30 ml (2 Tbsp) Canola Oil
- 55 g (2 oz) Carrots cut small dice
- 55 g (2 oz) Celery cut small dice
- 110 g (4 oz) Onion cut small dice
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Sprig of Thyme
- 300 g (10.5 oz) Red Lentils rinsed
- 1 L (1 q) Chicken Stock pre-prepared
- 50 g (1.75 oz) Wild Rice pre-soaked in water
- 50 g (1.75 oz) Naked Oats pre-soaked in apple juice
- 113 g (4 oz) Smoked Gouda grated
- 20 g (0.7 oz) Arugula cut chiffonade
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Heritage Garden Strawberry Agrodolce
- 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) Canola Oil
- ½ Shallot minced
- 400 g (14 oz) Strawberries
- ¼ cup (59 mL) Port Wine
- ¾ cup (177 mL) Balsamic Glaze pre-prepared
- 1 tbsp. (15 mL) Black Pepper fresh cracked
- ½ Orange juiced
Twice Cooked Butternut Squash Puree with Orchard Crab Apple Jelly
- 1200 g (42 oz) Butternut Squash
- 3 tbsp. (45 mL) Crab Apple Jelly (pre-prepared or purchased)
- 1 tsp (5 mL) Wild-flower honey
- Kosher Salt and White Pepper to taste
Instructions
Duck Brine
- Combine all ingredients and bring to a simmer for 1 minute to dissolve the salt.
- Strain out the garlic and thyme.
- Cool the brine completely before adding the duck legs.
- Brine for 8-10 hours.
Sous Vide Duck
- Remove the legs from the brine.
- Rinse the legs and place in sous vide bags (2 per bag works besand add the duck fat, canola oil, the sprig of thyme, garlic clove, and the pepper.
- Vacuum seal the bags and place into the Sous Vide for 6-8 hours at 165F (74C).
- Remove bags from Sous Vide and shock in an ice bath to stop the cooking.
Finished Duck Leg
- Remove legs from the Sous Vide bag and place onto a rack set inside of a roasting pan.
- Place into 400F (204C) oven until skin is crisp.
- Brush with Canola oil and finish with the Maldon Salt.
- Plate as desired.
Skillet Seared Dry-Aged Muscovy Duck Breast
- Prepare the duck breast by slicing the fat on the presentation side of the duck all the way through the fat, without cutting the breast meat.
- Season the breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Place the duck into a cold cast-iron pan and turn the heat up a little bit at a time.
- Sear the duck on the fatty side until it is golden brown, about 5-7 minutes.
- Flip the breast over and continue to cook on the other side.
- Continue to cook the breasts until an internal temperature of 135F (57C).
- Remove from the pan and let rest for 3 minutes before slicing.
- Cut into thin slices and serve with the carrot cake jam.
Manitoba Red Lentil, Naked Oat and Wild Rice Pilaf
- In a medium saucepan over moderate-high heat, sauté the carrots, celery, and onion until slightly translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic to the pan and sauté for about 1 minute more. Make sure not to get any color on the vegetables.
- Add the lentils to the saucepan and stir to coat with Canola oil.
- Next, add the chicken stock to the pan and bring it to a boil.
- Add the wild rice and naked oats, reducing the heat to a simmer until the lentils are al dente, about 10-15 minutes. Do not over cook the lentils, as they will become mushy.
- Remove from the heat and strain, removing as much excess liquid without breaking down the lentils.
- Remove the sprig of thyme and place into a sautoir pan and set on very low heat.
- Stir in the smoked Gouda, until melted.
- Season with salt and pepper
- 1Stir in the raw arugula just before service.
Heritage Garden Strawberry Agrodolce
- Sauté the shallots in Canola oil until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the strawberries and cook down the liquid, about 3-5 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan with the port wine by taking the pan off the heat and pouring the wine in. Swirl the pan to distribute the flavour.
- Add the balsamic glaze to the pan, bringing to a simmer, about 5-7 minutes.
- Pour the sauce into a blender and puree until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh strainer.
- Reserve the sauce warm until ready to plate your dish.
Twice Cooked Butternut Squash Puree with Orchard Crab Apple Jelly
- Peel and cut the butternut squash into a medium dice.
- Place the squash directly into a saucepan with salted water. Bring the squash to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
- Once butternut squash becomes fork tender, approximately 10 minutes, strain from the water.
- Place the squash on a sheet pan with parchment paper and put into an oven at 350F (177C) for 5 minutes to dry out the excess liquid.
- Remove the squash from the sheet pan and process through a food mill.
- For a very smooth texture, put the processed squash through a tamie or strainer using a bowl scraper to push the squash through the screen.
- Add the Crab-apple Jelly, wild flower Honey, and the Salt and Pepper, to taste.
- Place puree into a piping bag with tube of choice and pipe as desired directly onto the plate.
Plate Assembly Schematic
- Scoop the Lentil Pilaf into the mold slightly off center of the plate. Press pilaf slightly to compress and hold its shape. Remove the mold.
- Place the duck leg against the pilaf standing it nice and high on the plate.
- Using a spoon, place about 1-1.5 oz. of Strawberry Agrodolce onto the plate in front of the duck leg. Sweep your spoon across to pull the sauce and create a slight trough for the strawberry garnish to sit in.
- Next to the leg, spoon about 1 oz. (29.5mof warmed Carrot Cake Jam.
- Slice 2-3 thin slices of duck breast and fan out next to the leg on top of the Carrot Cake Jam.
- Pipe dollops of Butternut Squash onto the plate in different sizes to add visual interest. Top each of these with some Pecan dust.
- Place Parisienne strawberries and mixed Micro-greens into trough of Strawberry Agrodolce or place next to the leg. Groups of three are preferable and more visually appealing.
- Shave 2-4 slices from the Torchon of Fois Gras over top of the Duck breast and leg.
- Finish the dish by adding edible flowers and petals as desired.
Notes
Duck Bring Chefs Note:
- Brining longer will give a saltier taste to the duck. If you would like a mellower flavor, brine only for 8 hours.
- Ask your butcher to “French” the duck legs for you. This provides an elegant presentation to your finished plate. Sous Vide Duck Chefs Note:
- If you do not have vacuum seal bags or a vacuum sealer, use a reusable zipper bag. - Fill the bag as per the procedure but simply drop it into a sink of cold water to push the air out of the bag and then seal up the zipper lock. Finished Duck Leg Chefs Note:
- Skin can also be crisped up with an industrial heat gun if you find your oven is having trouble doing the job. Skillet Seared Dry-Aged Muscovy Duck Breast Chefs Note:
- Other Jams or Jellies can be substituted for the Carrot Cake Jam. Duck enjoys sweet and sour notes so confitures such as Dark Cherry or Rhubarb would pair very well with the fattiness of the duck.
- If the jam or jelly is too thick, just thin it out when warming up with some juice.
- Scoring the duck breast with a sharp knife ensures the fat renders the skin more crispy but be careful you do not cut into the breast meat.
- By using the cold pan method for searing the duck breast you are also better able to render away more of the duck fat while allowing extra time to crisp up the beautiful skin. Manitoba Red Lentil, Naked Oat and Wild Rice Pilaf Chefs Note:
- Pre soaking your grains in advance not only speeds up cooking time but also will allow everything to be done at the same time.
- Boiling lentils will make them tough. Always simmer slowly. Heritage Garden Strawberry Agrodolce Chefs Note:
- This sauce can be used with any kinds of fruits or berries as duck is a versatile type of game bird.
- The sauce does not need to be strained or pureed as it will have a different consistency but it is required for a smooth consistency. Twice Cooked Butternut Squash Puree with Orchard Crab Apple Jelly Chefs Note:
- This recipe can be substituted for any variety of squash or jelly to create different flavours.
- Boiling the squash too hard will cause it to break down and begin to mush. Garnishes: Strawberry Microgreens:
- 5 Fresh Strawberries, rinsed
- Micro-greens, snipped Method:
Using a small melon baller, ball out the strawberries into a small bowl. Add Micro-greens to add the greenery you desire. Plate according to schematic. Pecan Dust:
- Pecans Method:
Crush pecans under heavy weight or with a meat mallet. Reserve dust until ready to plate. Flowers:
- Anything edible such as from the Chrysanthemum family. Torchon of Fois Gras
- Purchase pre- prepared. Method:
Keep frozen but temper slightly before slicing on a mandolin.
- Brining longer will give a saltier taste to the duck. If you would like a mellower flavor, brine only for 8 hours.
- Ask your butcher to “French” the duck legs for you. This provides an elegant presentation to your finished plate. Sous Vide Duck Chefs Note:
- If you do not have vacuum seal bags or a vacuum sealer, use a reusable zipper bag. - Fill the bag as per the procedure but simply drop it into a sink of cold water to push the air out of the bag and then seal up the zipper lock. Finished Duck Leg Chefs Note:
- Skin can also be crisped up with an industrial heat gun if you find your oven is having trouble doing the job. Skillet Seared Dry-Aged Muscovy Duck Breast Chefs Note:
- Other Jams or Jellies can be substituted for the Carrot Cake Jam. Duck enjoys sweet and sour notes so confitures such as Dark Cherry or Rhubarb would pair very well with the fattiness of the duck.
- If the jam or jelly is too thick, just thin it out when warming up with some juice.
- Scoring the duck breast with a sharp knife ensures the fat renders the skin more crispy but be careful you do not cut into the breast meat.
- By using the cold pan method for searing the duck breast you are also better able to render away more of the duck fat while allowing extra time to crisp up the beautiful skin. Manitoba Red Lentil, Naked Oat and Wild Rice Pilaf Chefs Note:
- Pre soaking your grains in advance not only speeds up cooking time but also will allow everything to be done at the same time.
- Boiling lentils will make them tough. Always simmer slowly. Heritage Garden Strawberry Agrodolce Chefs Note:
- This sauce can be used with any kinds of fruits or berries as duck is a versatile type of game bird.
- The sauce does not need to be strained or pureed as it will have a different consistency but it is required for a smooth consistency. Twice Cooked Butternut Squash Puree with Orchard Crab Apple Jelly Chefs Note:
- This recipe can be substituted for any variety of squash or jelly to create different flavours.
- Boiling the squash too hard will cause it to break down and begin to mush. Garnishes: Strawberry Microgreens:
- 5 Fresh Strawberries, rinsed
- Micro-greens, snipped Method:
Using a small melon baller, ball out the strawberries into a small bowl. Add Micro-greens to add the greenery you desire. Plate according to schematic. Pecan Dust:
- Pecans Method:
Crush pecans under heavy weight or with a meat mallet. Reserve dust until ready to plate. Flowers:
- Anything edible such as from the Chrysanthemum family. Torchon of Fois Gras
- Purchase pre- prepared. Method:
Keep frozen but temper slightly before slicing on a mandolin.
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